Mohamed al-Fayed accepts the verdict of the inquest into the deaths of his son Dodi and Princess Diana. He has, however, lost none of his confidence in his friends in high places.

'I feel my entire life up until this moment has crystallised and come to fruition since I met this woman.'

Bruce Willis, 53-year-old action hero, proves himself to be a glorious romantic in discussing Emma Heming, 29-year-old underwear model, right, who is his girlfriend. A little harsh on Demi Moore, his wife of 13 years, perhaps.

'Jack doesn't go round threatening to punch cabinet ministers.'

A spokesman for Justice Secretary Jack Straw denies that he threatened to hit Ed Balls during a heated row about which of them was responsible for youth crime. A pity; we liked the passion and the thought that, in cabinet, crime is more than an abstract topic.

'I took steps. I told him to stop it. He took my advice.'

John Kinsella, a Liverpool gangland 'fixer' displays a gift for self-parody as he explains how he persuaded other underworld figures to stop harassing footballer Steven Gerrard.